What Does the Future Hold?

Each week I schedule the email for the new meditation announcement. It goes out every Thursday to our small but growing list of subscribers. Side note: If you’re not subscribed, I highly recommend doing so.

This past week was particularly interesting to me because our little list is becoming not so little anymore.

I remember the days when this number was in the single digits. While 399 may not be highly impressive compared to other businesses and ministries, it’s something that delights my heart. You see, this little list has grown all on its own without any real effort on our part. As I type this it has since surpassed the 400 mark onwards and upwards to only God knows what.

A Thousand Fans

When you think about it, 400+ people is not a small audience when you have something to say or share. Some people say all it takes is 1,000 True Fans in order to be completely successful.

My background is in most things web related and I know email subscription numbers aren’t the end-all-be-all. Other metrics need to be looked at, so I logged onto our podcast host to view our download stats.

Last year Cultivate Connection had over 96,000 downloads of the podcast. This year so far we’re at 82,000. I cannot even fully wrap my head around the fact that Amy’s voice is listened to by that many people around the world. It is humbling, exciting, and slightly unnerving all at the same time.

We heard a well known pastor say the average congregation size in attendance on Sunday is about 70 people. While I can’t find that specific report, the truth is church attendance is on the decline. This pastor went on to say how the digital realm opens up the potential for our message to reach way more people than a traditional minister does with their Sunday congregants. It’s an eye-opening thought.

Reaching the Multitudes

The total downloads for last week alone were 1,960. Those are a lot of ears hearing the word of God spoken over them. We’ve received testimonies from all sorts of individuals who’ve written to thank us and tell us what these meditations are doing for them.

Where do we go from here? It would be wrong to treat this as a third or fourth priority in our lives. There are a lot of other things vying for our time and attention right now, most of which are outstanding opportunities. I’m certain you’re experiencing something similar. It reminds me of the story of food distribution in the book of Acts.

It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.

Acts 6:2 New International Version (NIV)

In this story, there was a legitimate need and the crowd looked to the Twelve Disciples for their direct help. Knowing the work they were to do, they were able to discern that it would be wrong for them to neglect what God had called them to in order to attend to this other pressing need. So instead they suggested seven others be appointed and you know what? Everything worked out better that way.

Putting First Things First

Amy and I are excited to announce we are shifting gears with Cultivate Connection. No longer are we treating it as a second class hobby, instead we are preparing to treat it as our full fledged ministry. This has been after all, a longtime desire of ours; to work together each and everyday.

I’ll write another article about the details of this road ahead. For now I wanted to share the excitement with you. Cultivate Connection is impacting lives, it is growing, and it is what God is calling Amy and I into together. You can read about the very beginnings in our very first blog post.

Thank you for your support, your prayers, and your encouragement. It means the world to us. Don’t forget to send us a note if Cultivate Connection has blessed you in some way. We love to hear your stories.